HSE Analytics is a non-biased data analytics consultancy specializing in research related to the activity and impacts of Canada’s upstream oil and gas sector since 2006. HSE Analytics client list includes non-governmental organizations (e.g., Indian Resource Council, Energy Safety Canada, Alberta Orphan Well Association), industry trade associations (e.g., Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers), and Provincial and Federal Governments and energy regulators.
Recent projects
Indian Resource Council (2025)
Upstream Oil and Gas Liability
In 2025, HSE Analytics was engaged by the Indian Resource Council (IRC) to estimate total upstream oil and gas liability—covering wells, facilities, and pipelines—on all First Nation reserves in Canada. Liability was estimated using a liability model based on Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) methodology and estimates. The model was peer-reviewed by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) in 2022. Two cost scenarios were examined.
- Unadjusted Costs: Based on current AER Directive 11 cost estimates.
- Adjusted Costs: Based on AER D11 abandonment cost estimates and reclamation cost estimates recommended by the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers.
After completing the IRC project HSE compared results to the liability estimates reported by AER’s 2024 Liability Management Performance Report, a 2018 AER executive presentation, and the Government of Alberta’s 2025 Mature Asset Strategy. Results indicate both AER and Government reports may underestimate liability by $14.3 billion (unadjusted) to $162.6 billion (adjusted).
Insight, our virtual assistant (available via the chat icon in the bottom right of this page), can provide liability details at the level of Alberta municipalities under both scenarios.
Related Reports:
- Third party validation of upstream oil and gas liability reported by the Alberta Government and Alberta Energy Regulator.
- Impact of unadjusted and adjusted cost scenarios on operators considered “at-risk’, wells / facilities / pipelines at-risk of orphaning, and total security required according as of January 1, 2025, based on AER Liability Management Rating methodology.
- Total Canadian Liability by Province – Estimates by province for both cost scenarios.
Industry Activity and Cumulative Environmental Effects
In March 2025, HSE presented the results of the liability study to the IRC Board of Directors, along with its capability to quantify industry activity and the cumulative effects of upstream oil and gas development. The analysis focused on a proxy for Duncan’s First Nation Traditional Territory (DFNTT), selected due to the Nation’s 2022 lawsuit against the Alberta government, which alleges treaty violations and cumulative environmental harm on their traditional lands.
Related Reports:
- Industry activity and related cumulative environmental effects in Duncan’s First Nation Traditional Territory.
IBM Build Labs Partnership (2024)
HSE partnered with IBM Build Labs to integrate IBM Cognos Analytics with WatsonX Assistant and large language models. The resulting virtual assistant allows users to ask natural language questions about oil and gas activity and impacts, guides query refinement, and delivers context-rich answers linked to HSE’s dashboards and reports. The assistant can also detect user sentiment and draft advocacy messages for elected officials.
A demo of the assistant, named Insight, is available via the chat icon on this page.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (2023–2024)
In 2023, HSE was contracted to document ECCC’s GHG, methane, and VOC model supporting upcoming regulatory amendments. With ECCC’s approval, HSE adapted the model using current data to assess the effectiveness of existing and proposed regulations.
Findings indicate that Canada’s 2030 methane reduction target (75% below 2012 levels) is achievable with minimal changes to current Alberta and Saskatchewan regulations.
Related Reports:
- Methane Reductions Achieved Under Current Provincial Regulations – Analysis Based on the ECCC Methane Methodology Connected To Current Data.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (2022)
HSE estimated national upstream oil and gas abandonment and reclamation liabilities using its proprietary model based on, and incorporating AER’s Directive 11 and 06, frameworks. This work informed federal understanding of potential cleanup obligations across Canada.
Natural Resources Canada (2022)
NRCan engaged HSE to project methane emissions from all upstream oil and gas sources in Canada. The project used provincial volumetric and asset data and Alberta’s Air Quality Model (AQM), helping identify opportunities for Emissions Reduction Program (ERP) funding based on facility proximity to gas infrastructure.
Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (2014–2020)
From 2014 to 2020, HSE played a pivotal role in developing and supporting the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers’ (CAPP) data analytics program. HSE was responsible for the end-to-end build, maintenance and data science support dedicating approximately 70,000 hours across six full-time equivalents. During this time, HSE provided the data science support for over 30 CAPP operations committees, addressing critical topics such as industry activity (e.g., Petrinex advisory), operational impacts (closure and liability, senior liability issues), environmental impacts (e.g., environmental monitoring, climate strategy), and stakeholder engagement (indigenous affairs, AB/BC/SK policy).